Music Room Updates (And A Redo That Didn’t Need To Be Redone)

Once upon a time, my entryway looked like this…

It featured a triptych of paintings that I did myself (click here to read more about how I made those, and click here to see how I framed them), and I loved those paintings. But then I totally redid my entryway and opted for birds over abstract fluid acrylic paintings for that wall.

(You can click here to see more of my entryway makeover.)

But I really loved those paintings, and wanted to reuse them. My plan was to use them on the wall where the original six bird prints used to hang — the wall in the living room to the left of the doorway between the living room and kitchen…

(You can click here to read more about that gallery wall and my tips for hanging a perfect grid-type gallery wall.)

But in order for the triptych to fit there, they would have to hang horizontally instead of vertically, and they’d also have to be cut down to fit.

So I spent two days removing the frames, cutting about seven inches off of each painting on my table saw, and reframing them. Then I also decided to add a coat of resin to the paintings to give them a polished, finished look.

And then I hung them. And I didn’t like them there.

After all of that work, it just didn’t work out. I like rooms that are pretty colorful and busy and filled with lots of stuff and pattern and colors and texture, but those paintings hanging on that wall were way too much even for me.

So I proceeded to spend about two hours walking around my house, taking down every picture and painting on my walls (with the exception of the entryway wall — that’s finished 🙂 ), and seeing if those paintings could hang somewhere else. I tried the hallway, the bathroom, the breakfast room, and then I considered the music room. The problem is that all of my walls have paintings or pictures that were specifically planned and/or custom made specifically for those areas, so swapping artwork around in my house really isn’t that easy.

For example, my breakfast room has two paintings that I specifically made for those two walls. The paintings are a set, and I made them the exact size I thought they needed to be for those spaces, and even custom made the frames that fit over the sconce cord covers so that the paintings sit flush against the wall.

So I can’t just go swapping things around easily in my house.

But after pacing and mulling and trying different things for about an hour, I finally realized that literally the only spot those paintings could go was over the piano.

Yep, over the piano, where there was a mirror that I had custom made to fit perfectly in that spot. 😀 *Sigh*

(You can click here to see how I made that mirror.)

But I realized that it would be much easier to find a new home for a mirror (perhaps in the half bathroom at the back of the studio?) than it would be to find a better home for a triptych of abstract artwork. So I took the mirror down (and for now, hung it in the spot that I originally intended for these newly resized, reframed and resined paintings), and up went the paintings over the piano.

You know the most frustrating part? Had I known that they would end up in this spot, there would have been no need to cut seven inches off of them. They were the perfect height for hanging over the piano! Now they’re a little too short, making it necessary to hang them with a wider gap between the top of the piano and the bottom of the paintings than is ideal.

But at this point, it has to be okay. Unfortunately, there’s no way to reattach what I cut off. 🙂 At least they have a home, and I can continue to enjoy them…minus twenty-one inches.

Anyway, while my attention was focused on the music room, I also decided to go ahead and do the paint touchups on the doors. And while I was at it, I decided to change the color altogether. They used to be black, and now they’re the same dark teal that I used on the entryway wall and the living room fireplace. Obviously it’s not a huge change since that teal is so dark that it looks black in poor lighting. And my music room has low light and no direct natural light, so it can get pretty dark, especially on cloudy days.

And while I was in a painting mood, I also decided to paint the backs of the bookcases with the same color to see how I liked that. It’s kind of hard to tell right now since the shelves are empty, but I think I really like it! I’ll know for sure when I actually get things on the shelves.

And while I was at it, I was going to finish up by doing all of the touchups on my baseboards. Unfortunately, I didn’t finish with the bookcases and doors until about 10:00 last night and when I went to look for trim paint, I realized that I didn’t have any! It’s hard to imagine that I had none on hand, but both cans that I found were empty. So my baseboards still need attention. I tried! I promise!

And right now, my big flower picture is down for repair. There was a resin imperfection that I tried to fix, but only ended up making things worse. I will get it done very soon, though, and it’ll go back in its spot.

So in the midst of my artwork dilemma, I also purchased and received a wide angle lens for my iPhone. 😀 It arrived yesterday, so I was very anxious to test it out this morning and get some wide shots of these areas of my house.

After looking at the options on Amazon and finding that most of those lenses distorted the outer edges of the photos terribly, making walls and doorways appear rounded like Hobbit doors, (and most of them seemed to be very hit-or-miss as far as working on an iPhone X) I finally found this Sandmarc wide angle lens made specifically for an iPhoneX with amazing ratings.

It cost quite a bit more than the ones I was looking at on Amazon, but it’s worth it to avoid the distortions. (Seriously, check out the interior photos on this review of one of the highest rated iPhone wide angle lenses on Amazon. It’s like walking through a fun house at an amusement park!) So far I’m very pleased with the Sandmarc lens, and I look forward to getting much wider shots, especially when doing house tour videos. But some of the photos do look a little blurry. I’m not sure if that’s the lens, or if that’s something I accidentally did while editing the photos. I’ll have to try again when I have more time to experiment.

But for now, even with the slight blurriness on some of the pictures, I love being able to get these wider shots of my house.

And speaking of videos, I do hope to have an updated Fall House Tour video in the next few weeks. So much has changed since I did my Spring House Tour video!

 

 

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69 Comments

  1. LOVE the teal doors and the back of the bookshelves! Also love the wide angle lens! Maybe the spot where you currently have the mirror (where the bird pix were originally) would be a good spot for something with lavender in it? Or, i mentioned before, I love musical instruments on a wall (like a violin or guitar). Maybe some kind of non-painting object. Or maybe some of your resin disks??? The rooms are coming together!

  2. How lovely! I have loved those triptych paintings since you first shared them on here, and the addition of the teal on the doors and bookcases is so pretty!

  3. I love the color of the music room doors and also added to back of bookcases! The paintings look beautiful above your piano too. It is really unbelievable what you have done to your house. I love the wide shots! They really show the beauty of how one room flows to the next. Your home looks like such a warm & happy place. I so look forward to each blog!

  4. I think the paintings are the perfect size even though they are now missing 21 inches or 7 each. Considering that if you use the piano and have sheet music up they will still be visible so I think it is perfectly fine as they are now. Looking good!

  5. Well, just consider the “Oops” in that project as part of the creative process. I’m just sitting here reading, chuckling and shaking my head at your level of energy. I’m pooped just reading it, haha. You know that once you are “finished”, you’ll be changing your mind about something and redoing it anyway. You are too creative not to!!!!

  6. I love the paintings in the music room (I loved them when you put them briefly in there where the flower painting now is). And, I actually kind of like the mirror on its temporary wall. It brings together the green on the shades on the entry way wall and the green in the spoon painting above the fireplace and the green you can see in the artwork in the breakfast room. And, the scalloped edges carry the same feel of the spoon painting too. Maybe it is a little big for that wall and that’s why you don’t like it there? But I do! I’m sure it will look lovely wherever it ends up.

    1. I thought the same thing when I saw the mirror on the wall. I liked the fact that the colorful spoon flower was reflected in the mirror. Double the enjoyment of that one painting. I also like the abstracts above the piano.

  7. I love those wide shots, they give such a good feeling of what it must feel like to walk from one room to another in your house! I think the triptych is very well placed above your piano and even though I understand you could have saved on some work, it doesn’t look too small to me there. I initially thought that it might be a bit too much resin for my liking, but no, I think that it adds to their beauty!
    And I’m loking forward to a new house tour 😉

  8. I love this! I love seeing how all of the rooms and how they work together! I really like the bookcases and the doors with the new teal color. And the art looks perfect over the piano!

  9. Looks amazing 🙂 Love the two hassocks in the entry with the purple stripes. And your stenciling is still to die for. The transformation of your ugly duckling to a beautiful swan is simply breath-taking.

  10. I love it all. Especially the teal accents in the music room. And good deal, the wide angle lens. It really lets you share the overall “feel” of the rooms, and how they relate one to the other.

  11. I’m just so impressed and excited for you that you have so many rooms/areas done and beautiful! Looking back to where you started. It was the green kitchen that caught my eye and why I started following you. I love the bird pics so much in your entry I may have to do something similar. I also love picture walls that are full like that. Good job Kristi!

  12. I like the mirror in it’s new place. As Allison (up above a few posts) pointed out, the color ties in the sconce shades over the entry table and the flower art from above the fireplace. It just rounds out the colors chosen and brings symmetry to the room. Oops-es sometimes seem to work for the better in the long run. As was also stated by Lena, the tryptic above the piano looks perfectly balanced in the photo you took. I love seeing the wall and all that hard work you put into it, I would hate to have it all covered up.

  13. Very pretty! Your house has come so far and I know you are proud! I have a random question, what is that sitting on your piano? Did you make it?

  14. Kristi, would be possible to frame the parts of the painting that you cut off and hang them as 6 pieces instead of 3? Your work is so beautiful I can’t imagine any part of it on the “cutting room floor.” But they are stunning, at any size.

    1. Yes! My first thought when you said you had cut off pieces was, oh no! I hope she didn’t throw them away! This is where I want to go looking in your garbage. Ha, ha, ha! You could probably make some pretty collage with those small pieces. All those lovely colors!

  15. I love how the neutral paint in the music room and hall is given such a wow factor by having stripes and trellis design in them. Everything just flows from the entry to the Music Room to the hall. I really love the teal doors. But my absolute favourite project is your sliding doors from the Music Room to the old sunroom. Such creativity!
    Sheila F.

  16. That triptych above the piano really speaks to me and it’s because music is fluid and flowing and so is your painting. It just seems like it was made for that space.

  17. Love the wide angle photos . Any kind of specific lens are very susceptible to hand movements. Maybe a tripod would help in the future. I have a phone mount for my tripod and a really inexpensive remote shutter release for taking my staged photos.

  18. Beautiful! Wish I had the guts to use color. I ‘m a neutral white, gray… person. I am really in awe of the ceilings. Guess I must have missed that post. Was it difficult to do? I would like to know the colors of paint used in the LR, if possible.

  19. Kristi: I think you have done a marvelous job with all the work you have completed to your home.

    I really like the bird pictures. I did a variety of flower prints for my bedroom – I purchased a
    large book of Redoute flowers and had them framed.

  20. I love the happy accident and, to me, the scale of the pared-down pictures is great. The bookcase back walls add balance to your doors. I really like that effect, Kristi.

  21. I love the doors in teal! And the paintings look good over the piano (which I hope you are taking the time between projects to play and enjoy). The cropped size looks fine to me too. And I really love your purple ottomans and adore your Greek key curtains!

  22. This is so great Kristi! I love being able to see the flow of colors from room to room 🙂 and you know I don’t think a room ever has to be “done.” We grow and change over time and so should our homes. I love that you found a place for your triptych and your green mirror too. Your home reminds me of a beautiful garden with all the colors and patterns and textures. 🙂

  23. Wow That artwork is beautiful above your piano, just brightened up that room and made my heart sing when I saw it. You never cease to amaze me Kristi. Thanks for all your hard work and then all the time you put in explaining it all,, so interesting!!!!!

  24. I wish I had your vision for colour. Everything looks just beautiful. I want it in my home but don’t know how to do it and don’t have the guts. But seeing yours, I really need to do something.

  25. What about framing the 7″ pieces you cut off the pictures and put them above or below or up and down above/below the paintings over the piano?

  26. Love the revamped artwork, even though you had to cut them down. They look nice in their new location. Also like the bookcases and doors that color! Lastly, the pictures with the new lens are a big difference! I can’t wait for videos!

  27. Hi, I just found your blog yesterday, and I am so impressed with your creativity!
    Your home is lovely.
    The triptych over the piano looks great. You notice the height difference, but If you hadn’t mentioned you cut them, I wouldn’t have noticed at all. They look perfect over the piano.
    I LOVE the bird frames – they’re beautiful. I think moving them to the entrance was a great idea. I do wish I could see the whole entry wall though – the part of the wall that is closest to the front door isn’t visible. Would love to see how the scones and fames look together.
    So glad I found your site. I look forward to seeing more.

  28. #1: I love every single room! The wide angle lens is so excellent for showing how the rooms flow, smart purchase!!!
    #2: I’ve always loved reading your readers comments because you have some really creative followers and they have great ideas too. I don’t read many comments on other blogs, BUT the mean and nasty comments were such a turn off and…
    #3: Now that Matt is monitoring, it’s so much nicer!!! LOL!!! I hope it’s been a good thing for you as well. Thank you!

  29. I absolutely love the pictures over the piano. It definitely brings color into the room and I feel it ties the music room with the teal doors from your hallway. It makes everything flow perfectly! Like always, you are an inspiration!

  30. Your home is very much like a garden, as gardens do change from season to season, even if you plant the same stuff. It always looks different. Keeps your house fun.

    And yours is the only home dec blog in which I’ve ever had any interest in following consistently. If we don’t hear from you for a few days, I start to worry about you!

  31. I wish I had just a thimble full of your talent. Everything is absolutely beautiful! Looking forward to seeing what comes next…

  32. Kristi, you are amazing! When you complete a project, I think it’s wonderful, then you improve the project and take it to the next level and I applaud and yell “Bravo!”

  33. Looks like a palace. I have no idea the dimensions of these rooms but in pics they look open and huge.

    The pics are insightful. It makes me think taking pics similar to yours would give me some perspective as to how my own spaces feel and look. How my own decorative interpretations appear through the lens might help me overcome my challenges. Your photos definitely allow me to see focal points, balance, texture and so much more.

    Again, another bonus lesson from your blog. Thanks.

  34. Love the wide angle shots. They give a better view of how your spaces connect to each other and the sight lines between spaces.

    And I really really like the acrylic triptych above the piano. It is surprising that the very modern paintings and the traditional (and beautifully finished) piano look so good together, but I like the combination a lot.

  35. art work above the piano looks super! THe resin did not do any thing to the paint? like water it down or soften it and mess it up?
    I just love those bird pics. love how you did the gold on edge, look so professional. I am a orchid collector and i think i am going to do some of orchids like your birds, they are just as colorful. did you get them professionally printed or did on your own computer?

  36. I love your home! If you happened to keep the parts of the resin prints that you cut off, you should frame those pieces as the larger ones are and hang above the larger ones! I think it would be an amazing design feature! Can you tell? I love those prints!!!!!! Hope you saved them!

  37. Looks great ,looking forward to seeing your music room chairs done, and piano stool. The new camera is fab, love seeing the views into other rooms.Xx Hope you are all well.Xx

  38. This is the best mistake ever! I loved those paintings from the first time you showed us. They look perfect above the piano! From all the way out here they look to be just the right size for that wall. And the mirror in its temporary spot seems to be right at home. I’m really enjoying all the colorful changes. Love seeing colorful Kristi in action. Can’t wait to see what you do next with the bookcases. 🙂 The wide angle lens really gives a better perspective of the rooms in the pictures. Your house is looking beautiful!

  39. I really like the teal in the music room. I’m sorry you had to cut off those 7 inches but they came out very nice and look great above your piano. What a pretty music room!

    That mirror will find a home and maybe the bathroom in your studio will work out perfectly for that.

  40. Hi, Kristi. Your house is simply amazing. I am so in love with the bird pictures and wish I was brave enough to try a stenciled wall like yours. Every time I see those walls in a photo, it just makes me swoon! I too read comments just to make sure I don’t totally duplicate what someone else has said (though as long as it’s a compliment, I think you wouldn’t mind hearing the same thing over and over again!!) and it is so nice not to see those negative comments anymore! Thanks, Matt, for that! There is enough negativity in our world right now. I come here to see beautiful and get away from that. Thanks for brightening my day with your lovely home and projects!